andrea psotka
andrea psotka
andrea psotka
andrea psotka
andrea psotka
andrea psotka
andrea psotka
adventure & landscape photographer
hikes in and around
whistler
Length: 14 km
Duration: 6+ hours
Elevation Gain: 1200 m
Difficulty: High
Camping: Yes
​brew lake
Brew Lake hands down makes my top 3 list of favorite hikes in and around Whistler. Since it is not a part of Garibaldi Provincial Park, it's one of Whistler’s hidden gems unknown to many. Those who venture on this low traffic hike are rewarded with a beautiful and serene mountain lake that lies in a massive alpine valley at the base of Mount Brew. Sure Brew Lake doesn’t have a beautiful aqua blue alpine lake that Wedgement, Garibaldi and Joffre boast, but because there are no glaciers melting directly into the lake, Brew Lake is amazingly warm (for a mountain lake) and crystal clear. There are also large flat rocks that are scattered around the lake which make perfect rocks to swim to and lounge in the sun. With the increasing popularity of Garibaldi Park, it’s refreshing to get off the beaten path and away from the crowded trails. The calmness and serenity of being out in this kind of beautiful remote wilderness goes unmatched.
There is no parking lot, signs or proper roads to access the trailhead so this hike requires a bit of research - but that makes the adventure all the more thrilling. Heading south of Whistler, take the Whistler RV Park and Campground Turnoff and take second left on a dirt road (Branch 50), follow this road and when you hit the junction stay right on Brew Main. Keep following this until it turns into Branch 100 and continue on it. You will run into a pull out which is before a small bridge - use this pull out if you have a 2wd (it will add an extra 2.5-3k onto the hike). If you have a 4wd then continue up the steep hill and park just before a small bridge - there is a yellow sign that indicates parking. The trail starts shortly from there!
The hike itself is beautiful, the terrain varies from mossy forests to large boulder fields which can be steep and difficult to follow at times. You might encounter some sections where you are scrambling and route finding. The views along the way are impressive, there are many places to stop and look back onto Daisy Lake below and Black Tusk and Garibaldi Mountains in the background.
You can camp at the lake or iff you look up beyond Brew Lake there is a ridge, if you continue hiking up there for about 2km more you will find Brew Hut. This Hut was built by the UBC Varsity Outdoor Club and is open year round for hikers and backcountry skiers. There is no reservation system but you can check their page to view when people are planning to go and pay your camping fee if you would like to stay. In my opinion, checking out Brew Hut and staying in it for a night is a MUST. The hut is surrounded by absolutely stunning views in every direction - Tricouni Peak, Mount Fee, Garibaldi and Black Tusk are all viewable from it. There is a small hill you can climb up through some trees which is an amazing spot to view the mountainscapes and catch an impressive sunrise or sunset.
Length: 14 km
Duration: 6+ hours
Elevation Gain: 1200 m
Difficulty: High
Camping: Yes
wedgemount
Wedge is a Whistler classic and one of those love-hate hikes - challenging but incredibly rewarding for those who make the journey. As one of the most challenging hikes in the Garibaldi Range, Wedgemount has been coined as a 7km staircase for a reason. With an impressive elevation gain of 1100 meters in just 7km, this hike is not for the fainthearted. It’s a serious leg burner with relentlessly steep terrain that weaves through old growth forests covered in old man’s beard lichen, crosses through rockslide areas, and a final steep scramble up over a boulder path. Once you make it up the final ascent and make your way over the ridge you will be greeted with a deep turquoise glacial lake with spectacular alpine peaks staring down at you in all directions - a true paradise for mountain-lovers.
If you have the energy, you can keep hiking along the rocky trail down by the lake for another 15 minutes which will lead you over the ridge and to the Wedgement Glacier! Seeing the glacier up close is an incredible site and totally worth the extra trek around Wedge lake and over the backside!
I couldn’t recommend enough making your Wedge trip an overnighter as it will give you the chance to enjoy the area and provides the opportunity to explore the Glacier further or any of the other surrounding peaks. You can camp either on one of the 20 wooden camping pads that are scattered on the lake edge and higher up overlooking the lake or staying in the hut that can sleep 8 people. Camping overnight will give you the opportunity to watch a SPECTACULAR sunset overlooking some iconic peaks surrounding Whistler. The best spot to catch it is on the hill near the lake side, just before the hut. There is a little trail that will bring you to the top of the ridge, from here you have a complete view of the mountain ranges and can also look back on the alpenglow on Wedge Mountain and the lake!
Situated just north of Whistler just past Green Lake, getting to the Wedgemount trailhead is relatively easy and will take about 25 minutes from Whistler village. Taking the highway north of Whistler past Emerald, you will see BC Parks Signs for Wedgemount Lake - take a right turn onto Gravel Pit Road and go over the bridge, turn left at the fork and onto Riverside Dr. In the next fork go right on Wedge Creek Forest Service Rd and continue following it until you reach the large parking lot.
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Length: 14 km
Duration: 6+ hours
Elevation Gain: 1200 m
Difficulty: High
Camping: Yes
Length: 10 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
Elevation Gain: 530 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Directions: Google Maps
rohr lake
Rohr Lake is the perfect hike if you are looking for a shorter hike that still has stunning alpine views. Since Rohr Lake isn’t a part of BC Parks, it tends to be a quieter hike with fewer people.
Rohr Lake is located in the Duffy Lake area just outside of Pemberton - the trail is located alongside the 99 highway across from the large salt shed building that is up the steep hill of the Duffy Lake road just past the Joffre Lakes sign. You can either park on the highway by the Salt Shed or if you have a higher clearance vehicle you can shorten your hike by continuing driving down the Forest Service Road and park on one of the pullouts. From this parking lot walk along the highway back in the direction of Pemberton and cross the road to look for a small trail head. Follow this road and stay left at any intersections and you'll eventually reach the start of the trail.
Don’t underestimate this hike, despite it being a shorter, Rohr Lake is still a moderately difficult trail with various muddy (no joke, some serious mud) sections and some areas involving scrambling through a steep boulder field. The alpine views along this hike are stunning, offering sweeping alpine views of the valley around the Marriot Basin. After tackling the boulder field you are rewarded with views of a brilliant turquoise coloured lake. There are various viewpoints along Rohr lake, following the trail to the left along the lake you will climb a bit until you reach another boulder field, this spot provides a great panoramic view of the lake. Similarly, if you follow the trail to the right and around the south side of the lake you will be greeted with a view of the lake from the south side. There are camping spots along the lake, most of them near the end of the lake where you emerge from the trail. Camping would give you an opportunity to explore the area more and climb up Mount Rohr.
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semaphore
lakes
Semaphore Lakes is located in the beautiful Pemberton Valley. With sparkling blue alpine lakes, an impressive waterfall, beautiful snow capped mountains, views of a glacier, amazing camping spots and a relatively uncrowded trail, Semaphore Lakes has everything going for it. It’s only a 5 km round trip to the lakes with 350m elevation gain, the trail is quite steep and muddy with lots of roots so have proper hiking footwear. Even though it is a shorter hike there are loads of small trails that wander around the lakes and small lakes and ponds all around so there is plenty of subalpine terrain to explore once you’re up there.
There are no designated campsites pads around the lakes but the most popular spots to camp are around at the first lake and the larger lake downhill from it. The area is delicate so try to use proper hiking etiquette and use existing campsites to minimize any further impact. Note that there are no proper camping facilities (outhouses & food caches) & don't forget to PACK OUT what you pack in.
Getting to Semaphore Lakes is a bit of a trek but I promise you that it is worth it. To get there head up the Pemberton Valley via the Pemberton Meadows road. After 20km turn right onto the Lillooet FSR for approx 9km and stay right to merge onto the Hurley FSR. Note that the Hurley FSR is quite a steep and rough road that requires 4WD (it’s manageable with 2WD if you don’t mind a very bumpy road!) The trail is marked by a few pieces of flagging tape n your left. I highly reccomend using the App MapsMe when you hike as it has very detailed offline maps which includes trails and comes in handy when Google Maps shows nothing. The exact trailhead location is mapped on MapsMe so its super easy to find!
iceberg
lake
Iceberg Lake is as glacial as glacier lakes come - and if you couldn't tell by the name of it, yes, it does have icebergs floating on it! This is a perfect moderately challenging Whistler day hike that can easily be done in 6 hours.
The trail up to the lake follows a scenic climb through a beautiful forest, passing by several waterfalls and many lookout points that provide panoramic landscapes looking back on Green Lake, Wedgemount, Armchair mountain and Blackcomb. After emerging from the forested section of the hike you will reach a beautiful alpine meadow with streams and wildflowers (if you hit the right time of the summer). When you reach the meadow there is a final ascent up a steep rocky trail which will lead up over the ridge to Iceberg Lake. The lake itself sits below Rainbow Glacier and Rainbow Mountain. Even in July and August the lake itself will still be partially frozen with icebergs floating on it. However that doesn't prevent the brave from taking a quick dip in and swimming to one of the icebergs!
Iceberg also happens to be one of the most accessible hikes in Whistler, which can be reached with the public transit. There are a few different routes to access the lake - Skywalk North and Skywalk South trails. The most direct route follows the 19 Mile Creek trail which is located on Mountain View Drive in Alpine. Parking is available at the end of the cul-de-sac, however be aware of any parking violation signs before leaving your car. Alternatively, you can catch the #30 bus from the village going to Alpine and walk from the bus stop to the trail head. Again routing the trail on MapsMe will save you much confusion at trail forks and staying on the right route. I cannot recommend it enough!! Also do not forget to bring bear spray as there are often Grizzly Bear warning signs up on this trail in the summer.
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elfin lakes
Elfin Lakes is a scenic alpine trail in the Squamish Valley and is one of the more popular backcountry hikes in the Sea to Sky. The distance of this hike may seem daunting, however, the trail is not very steep as the 600 km elevation gain is spread over 11km up. The trail itself is quite a wide and well trafficked trail that is easy to follow the whole way up. The first hour of the hike follows a gravel road surrounded by trees, eventually you will arrive at the Red Heather Meadow Shelter. Continuing along, you will climb uphill on an open trail that is surrounded by breathtaking mountain vistas all along the way to the Elfin Lakes themselves. The top lake is a stunning little subalpine lake that is crystal clear, perfect to have a refreshing swim in. The lower lake is reserved strictly for drinking water for the campsites.
Camping at Elfin Lakes is a MUST. There is both a shelter and 35 wooden camping pads to choose from. I recommend camping on one of the pads as they look right onto the beautiful Mamquam Mountain range that is a spectacular backdrop during sunset. From Elfin Lakes there are a few hikes that you can tackle as well. The Gargoyles (5km) is a short hike from Elflin and it has some breathtaking glacial volcanic landscapes. On a clear day, Opal Cone (13km) is worth the summit up as you will be rewarded with stunning panoramic views.
The trailhead is located at the Garibaldi Park Diamond Head which is approximately 16km from Highway 99. To get there turn onto Mamquam Rd by Canadian Tire and follow it along passing Quest University. You will see a sign pointing you left for Garibaldi Park Diamond head.
Length: 9 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
Elevation Gain: 300 m
Difficulty: Moderate-High
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high note
High Note is a beautiful scenic hike atop Whistler Mountain that loops along the backside of the mountain, offering picturesque views of Cheakamus Lake and vast mountain vistas of the iconic Black Tusk, as well as the surrounding mountains in the Garibaldi Provincial Park. Along the trail there are many viewpoints where you can stop to take in the beauty of Cheakamus Lake. If you hit the right time of the season, usually in early August, you will be fortunate enough to catch an abundance of wildflowers covering the hills.
To access this trail you need a summer sightseeing pass to get lift access up the Whistler Gondola. The trail starts atop Whistler Mountain, to get there take the Whistler Gondola up from the Village and follow the trail map posted at the top of the gondola. You can either choose to do Half Note trail which is super mellow (about 3.2kms) and cuts off from the High Note Trail back to the gondola or you can continue along High Note. I highly recommend toughening it out and doing the full loop which passes around Symphony and Harmony Lakes, and loops back around up to the gondola. There are loads of unreal viewpoints along the High Note trail and you really get to see the whole backside of Whistler Mountain - definitely a super cool experience if you have skied the area before.
cheakamus lake
As one of the easiest and shortest hikes around Whistler, even your non-hiker friends will enjoy this one! Cheakamus Lake is a beautiful tranquil remote lake in the Garibaldi Provincial Park and is the perfect spot to pack a picnic and spend the afternoon relaxing at! The lake itself is quite large - about 6 km long and 1 km wide, it’s an ideal location to do some backcountry camping at!
The walk/hike into the lake is stunning as you meander through a mossy forest of impressive old-growth trees. The trail in to the lake is mostly flat and passes through beautiful coastal rainforest ecosystems. You will meander through mossy forests of impressive old-growth trees and you can spot an array of flora, fauna - some of the mushroom species are quite amazing! The first views of Cheakamus Lake will appear about 3 kms on the trail when you see the Cheakamus Lake campsite clearings. The trail continues for about 4 kms to nearly the end of the lake where the Singing Creek campsite is located. The stretch between the two campsites is the most scenic of the area and is without a doubt worth the stroll along the lakeside to reach the end of the lake.
The trailhead is accessed via the Cheakamus Lake Forest Service Road and it’s approx 7km up the road. The road can be a bit bumpy so AWD or 4WD is ideal so there is a bit of clearance however small cars can easily make it up as well!
panorama ridge
Length: 17 km
Duration: 6-9 hours
Elevation Gain: 1053 m
Difficulty: Moderate-High
Panorama Ridge is the standout view of Garibaldi Provincial Park and is one of the most well known hikes in the region. Nothing beats the epic views looking over the vast brilliant turquoise Garibaldi Lake. The lake sits in a mountain basin, surrounded completely by towering snow peaked mountain peaks which provide a breathtaking reflection on the lake. From up on the ridge you have a full panoramic view of Black Tusk, Garibaldi Lake, and Helm Lake area which are all simply jaw-dropping. The hike is one the longer hikes in the region at 26km round trip, be prepared to make it a full day trip or you may choose to break it up and camp either at Garibaldi Lake, Taylor Meadows or Helm Creek Campground.
The main trailhead starts at Rubble Creek as a bunch of switchbacks (definitely not the best part of the hike) and eventually evens out as you approach Garibaldi Lake. The trail then enters through some dense forests and passes through many streams and flowered meadows with stunning viewpoints along the way. An alternate route is to start at Cheakamus Lake and go through the Helm Creek route which may be the less busy option and you can then avoid the never-ending switchbacks starting at Rubble Creek!
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